What to look for this weekend

Lots of fixtures this weekend in the Premier League. Here are some talking points on the most intriguing matchups:

• Last-place West Ham hosts first-place Chelsea on Saturday, 9:55 a.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com. Since Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in the summer of 2003, the Blues are 9-0-2 against West Ham in all competitions. The Hammers have been outscored 25-6 in those 11 games and haven't scored more than one goal against Chelsea in a 12-game stretch that goes to 2002. Chelsea, meanwhile, has scored three or more goals in five of those contests.

• Winless Everton hosts Manchester United this weekend, looking to extend its 13-game home unbeaten streak that stretches to last November. It's a run that includes a 3-1 win over Manchester United in February. That loss was United's only road defeat in its last 11 league games.

• Two teams heading in opposite directions meet as Liverpool visits Birmingham. Liverpool is 13th and finished seventh a season ago, the club's worst finish in 11 years. Birmingham is undefeated and sits sixth, a season after finishing ninth, its best top-flight showing in 51 years. The last six Premier League meetings between these teams have been ties, one shy of the league record for consecutive draws, set by West Ham and Aston Villa in 1998-2001.

• Fulham looks for its first win of the season at home against Wolverhampton. Fulham has tied its first three games and could become the second Premier League team to draw its four opening matches, joining Crystal Palace in the league's debut season of 1992-93. Fulham has never defeated Wolves in the Premier League, playing two scoreless draws at home and twice losing 2-1 on the road.

• Stoke City hosts Aston Villa and new manager Gerard Houllier on Monday (3 p.m. ET on ESPN3.com). Villa has won its two home games by a combined 4-0 scoreline but was thumped 6-0 at Newcastle, a result that was even more surprising considering Villa's away form last season. In 2009-10, only Chelsea and Manchester United had more road wins than Aston Villa's nine, or more road points than Aston Villa's 32.


ESPN Stats & Information's Eduardo Souss contributed to this post.